Traditional slot machines commonly in use are normally stand-alone devices intended to be played by a single player. The player inserts one or more coins therein and either pushes a button or pulls a lever to initiate the play. Depending on the final position of the spinning wheels within the slot machine, the machine determines whether or not and how much the player has won.
Applicants' prior U.S. application Ser. No. 08/488,270, filed Jun. 7, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,998 describes a system wherein a plurality of slot machines may be combined together with a large, overhead racing display which carries a number of racing elements such as automobiles, horses or the like. Each time one of the slot machines wins or each time the handle is pulled or a coin is played, the respective racing element is moved a predetermined distance. Whichever horse or other racing element wins the race, the player at that slot machine is awarded a bonus. The primary purpose of the invention described in the prior application is to encourage competition between slot players.
While the invention described in Applicants' prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,998 may serve the purpose indicated therein, it also can create certain difficulties. Since the horses or other racing elements are racing against each other, all of the slot players must begin at precisely the same time. This would require supervision by an operator or other person which obviously creates additional expense. Even further, a number of the slot machines would be sitting idle and, therefore, not generating income to the casino while waiting for other players so that the race could begin.
Furthermore, because the racing display described in the prior application was remotely located from the slot machine, it might be difficult for the slot players to view the same while playing the slot machine. This might discourage them from playing. Even further, the system described in the prior application suggested that a prize be awarded to the winning horse. As a result, should one of the horses win relatively early in the race because the particular slot machine has "hit" an inordinate number of times, the remaining slot players in the race would stop playing, thereby creating a loss in revenues to the casino operator.